Jamie:::

mikeschickie

Hi Jaime. I was wondering if you could share your experience with me in regards to the Epic. I also wanted to know what you did to meet that 25,000 minimum before taxes and fees. It really comes out to about 30,000 right? I just can't believe you have to pay extra for the bartenders on top of the 30,000. Most places include this as part of your fee! Has your experience with Ivette been nice? Do you think I could get away without a DOC by relying on her? I want to use Geurdy for the flowers and event design, but I just don't want to pay for a DOC too if I'm already spending so much money at the EPIC. Also, are you paying extra to utilize the space by the pool for the cocktail reception?I would appreciate any help/advice!Thank you B

YHFoxtrot

Hey there... For the most part I've had a really good experience with the Epic. Ivette is very nice and accomodating whereever she can be... I mean there have been things they couldn't or wouldn't budge on (Cake issues... some menu stuff) but nothing major. As for how we're making the minimum... we are having a very big and upgraded cocktail hour that brought our price per person up A LOT!!! We're having multiple stations and extra passed (I'm from NY and that's how they do it there) So our Cost Per Person is ridiculously high. We only need like 100 guests to show to make the minimum. Yeah. It's really high. And that's all BEFORE tax. After tax and gratuity, yes, I will be over $30K for F&B alone. You may be able to negotiate things like bar tender fees etc... all the lil extras that they try and charge you may be negotiatble... we had some luck in those areas. Maybe you can negotiate things like valet parking, and room rates etc.. but w/ the F&B min I don't think there is much room to get the minimums down for 2010 unless you are getting married on a Friday or Sunday. As for getting away with not having a DOC, when I first booked the Epic, Ivette told me she may or may not be there on the day of the wedding. I was surprised by this and now It seems though that she is always there on the wedding day for the brides so I don't know why she said that BUT based on the fact that she told me she WOULD NOT be my day of coordinator, I booked Guerdy. Guerdy is amazing though so think she's worth it. And what I saved by getting floral through her paid the cost of my DOC. Also, yes I am paying extra to use the pool for my cocktail hour. It was worth it to me because I really wanted that. Now I just hope the weather holds up for that so it's not a waste of money. (They won't refund it if we have to move it inside!)The Epic is not a cheap venue. Especially not on a Saturday night in 2010.

mikeschickie

Thank you so so much!B